Portable spreading devices

Abstract

A hand held spreading device is disclosed for broadcast spreading material via a rotating impeller. The device has an actuating assemly including an actuating member and a dual spring arrangement interconnected with the actuating member. One of the springs causes material to be discharged onto the impeller in response to movement of the actuating member and prevents damage of the device resulting from excessive movement of the actuating member. The second spring biases the actuating member to move to an idle position in which no material is discharged onto the impeller and causes the actuating member to return to this idle position after movement thereof.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hand-held material spreading device comprising: a housing having a storage chamber and a manually engagable pistol grip-type handle;   said storage chamber being positioned over an impeller and including a port for discharging material from said storage chamber onto said impeller, said impeller being disposed and structured to rotate and to broadcast said material deposited thereon;   a valve member mounted for reciprocal motion across said port to regulate the flow of material in response to operation of an actuating assembly;   said actuating assembly including an actuating member mounted on the surface of said pistol grip-type handle and a dual spring arrangement interconnected with said actuating member; and   said dual spring arrangement including a first spring for moving said valve member in response to movement of said actuating member to open said port to allow said flow of material and to close said port to stop such flow of material, said first spring also preventing damage of said device resulting from excessive movement of said actuating member and a second spring for biasing said actuating member to an initial, idle position and for causing said actuating member to return to said idle position after said actuating member has been moved.   
     
     
       2. The spreading device of claim 1 wherein said actuating member is a trigger-like member. 
     
     
       3. The spreading device of claim 1 wherein said first spring is operatively interconnected with said valve member via a linkage assembly so that upon movement of said actuating member, said first spring causes said linkage to pivot and to move said valve member. 
     
     
       4. The spreading device of claim 3 wherein said linkage assembly includes a triangular link member having pegs at each of the three corners of the triangle, one of said pegs providing a fulcrum for pivotal motion of said link member, a second of said pegs being structured and dimensioned to engage said actuating assembly and to cause said link member to pivot about said fulcrum and the third of said pegs being interconnected with said valve member to cause said valve to move in response to the pivotal movement of said link. 
     
     
       5. The spreading device of claim 3 wherein said first spring extends in a first direction from said actuating member and is structured and dimensioned to interconnect with said linkage and said second spring extends in a direction generally opposite said first direction and is structured and dimensioned to contact an inner wall of said pistol grip-type handle to provide a prestressed pressure for said biasing and said return of said actuating member. 
     
     
       6. The spreading device of claim 5 wherein said second spring has a hooked distal end skewed between about 5° and 25° relative to its vertical axis and said spring is force fit into said handle causing said skewed distal end of said spring to contact said inner wall and to conform to the shape of said inner wall resulting in a prestressed pressure for said biasing and said return of said actuating member. 
     
     
       7. The spreading device of claim 1 including a stop member on a rate adjusting assembly mounted to engage said valve member upon movement of said valve member a sufficient distance to provide a preselected extent of opening of said port. 
     
     
       8. The spreading device of claim 7 wherein said stop member on said rate adjusting assembly is a cam member having a cam stop surface which is positioned to contact said valve member and stop further movement thereof. 
     
     
       9. The spreading device of claim 8 wherein said rate adjusting assembly includes a manually manipulatable rate knob providing a number of selectable setting positions, said knob being rotatable to cause rotation of said cam member and to adjust said cam stop surface to a desired position. 
     
     
       10. The spreading device of claim 1 wherein said actuating member and said dual spring arrangement including said first and said second springs are formed as an integral, one piece assembly. 
     
     
       11. The spreading device of claim 1 including a locking mechanism for locking said actuating member in a position causing said valve member to be maintained in a position providing a preselected opening of said port. 
     
     
       12. The spreading device of claim 1 wherein said second spring has a hooked distal end section for providing a prestressed tension biasing said actuating member to said idle position. 
     
     
       13. The spreading device of claim 12 wherein said hooked distal end section is force fit into said handle causing said end section to generally conform to the shape 
     
     
       14. A hand-held spreading device comprising: a housing including a storage chamber;   an impeller;   means for discharging material from said storage chamber onto said impeller for broadcasting said material;   an actuating assembly interconnected with said discharging means for operating said discharging means;   said actuating assembly including an actuating member and a dual spring arrangement interconnected with said actuating member;   said dual spring arrangement including a first spring extending from said actuating member in a first direction and a second spring extending from said actuating member in a direction generally opposite said first direction;   said first spring being structured and dimensioned to cause said discharging means to discharge material in response to movement of said actuating member and to prevent damage of said device resulting from excessive movement of said actuating member; and   said second spring being structured and dimensioned to bias said actuating member to move to an idle position at which said first spring will not cause said discharging means to discharge material and for causing said actuating member to return to said idle position after said actuating member has been moved.   
     
     
       15. The spreading device of claim 14 wherein said actuating member and said dual spring arrangement including said first and said second springs are formed as an integral, one piece assembly. 
     
     
       16. The spreading device of claim 14 including a locking means for locking said actuating member in a position at which said first spring causes said discharging means to discharge material. 
     
     
       17. The spreading device of claim 14 wherein said first spring is structured and dimensioned to collapse upon excessive movement of said actuating means to prevent said damage of said device. 
     
     
       18. The spreading device of claim 14 wherein said second spring is structured and dimensioned to provide a prestressed pressure on said actuating member after installation in said device whereby said actuating member is biased to said idle position and is caused to return to said idle position after movement. 
     
     
       19. The spreading device of claim 14 including a manually engagable handle with said actuating assembly being positioned in said handle and said actuating member being a trigger-like member positioned and configured for alleviating fatigue of a user's hand during use of said device. 
     
     
       20. The spreading device of claim 19 wherein said handle is a pistol grip-type handle.